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Confirmed infections reach 790,016, against 686,488 recoveries and 16,999 deaths, leaving 86,529 active cases
Pakistan on Saturday reported 5,908 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 52,402 tests—a positivity ratio of 11.27 percent. It also reported its highest single-day death toll since the pandemic began last year, recording 157 casualties for a total toll of 16,999.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Friday issued further restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, as Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that the Army would now be deployed alongside law enforcement officials to ensure compliance with SOPs. According to the NCOC notification, all schools would be closed in any districts with positivity over 5 percent; there will a total ban on all activities from 6 p.m. till sehri, with Section 144 to be imposed to prevent crowds from gathering; complete ban on indoor dining; and reduced office hours.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 790,016 (Tests: 11,483,643)
Punjab – 285,542
Sindh – 276,670
Balochistan – 21,477
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 112,140
Islamabad – 72,613
Gilgit-Baltistan – 5,247
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 16,327
Deaths – 16,999
Recoveries – 686,488
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Saturday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 790,016. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 157 to 16,999. At the same time, recoveries increased by 4,198 to 686,488, or 86.9 percent of total infections. There are currently 86,529 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 4,682 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Saturday, authorities reported 98 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 7,897. The province now has 285,542 confirmed cases; it reported 3,073 new infections after conducting 23,590 tests, a positivity ratio of 13.03 percent. There were 2,103 new recoveries recorded, leaving 232,135 fully recovered, and 45,510 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 276,670; it reported 855 new infections on Saturday after conducting 12,786 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.64 percent. The province reported 11 new deaths, raising toll to 4,587, while its recoveries rose by 329 to 261,871. Overall, the province now has 10,212 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 1,265 new infections after conducting 8,344 tests, a positivity ratio of 15.16 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 112,140. It recorded 37 new deaths and 945 recoveries, raising toll to 3,066 and recoveries to 94,675. There are currently 14,399 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Saturday raised its confirmed cases to 21,477 with 112 new infections after conducting 1,024 tests, a positivity ratio of 10.94 percent. There were 3 deaths and 70 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 230 fatalities and 20,105 fully recovered. There are now 1,142 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Saturday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 463 to 72,613 after conducting 5,308 tests; a positivity ratio of 8.72 percent. There were 5 deaths and 595 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 657 casualties; 59,080 recovered; and 12,876 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday recorded 6 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 378 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.59 percent; it now has 5,247 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths and 25 recoveries, leaving 104 fatalities and 5,033 fully recovered people. There are currently 110 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 134 to 16,327 after conducting 972 tests, a positivity ratio of 13.79 percent. There were 3 deaths and 131 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 458 fatalities and 13,589 fully recovered. It now has 2,280 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 146,236,400 people, with over 3,099,461 reported deaths. After having passed through two waves of the pandemic, the world is divided between countries that are either in the midst of a third wave driven by mutated variants, or have launched mass vaccination drives that are allowing them to reopen safely. There are mounting calls, including from the World Health Organization, for “vaccine equality,” i.e. for developed nations to stop hoarding vaccines in excess of their requirements and to share them with the developing world to help curb the spread of new mutated variants. Overall, around 124,022,653 patients of the 146.2 million+ infected have recovered thus far.